Removable egg-case partition.



1?. SGHAEFER & J. A. LYNCH.

REMOVABLE EGG GASE'PARTITION. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16,1908.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

amend 0M JameJJ j nc/v Frederic cfiaefcr v To all whom it may concern:

UNITED srATns PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC SGHAEFER', or WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, AND J' AMES ALVIN LYrroH, OF

' ELY, NEVADA.

REMOVABLE EGG-CASE PARTITION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented M 15, 1911.

Be it known that we, Fnnonnro SCI-IAEFER and JAMES ALVIN LYNCH, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, and Ely, county of lrVhite Pine, and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Removable Egg-Case Partitions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to packages or crates for the storing and transportation of fragile goods and articles such as eggs, the object being to provide a structure which will accommodate within a given space the largest possible number of the eggs or other articles. while, at the same time, affording due protection and safety to the goods, as well as ventilation to promote the preservation thereof.

The invention consists essentially of a unit or sheet of peculiar form and construction, a number of which are adapted to be assembled together in a box or casing, in a peculiar way to form cells or compartments for individual eggs or other articles to be packed.

- sent or form cavities on the other side of the unit.

A further novel feature consists in giving to the protuberances a pyramidal shape whereby they will fit closely around one end of an egg or similarly shaped article, and, at the same time, afford openings for ventilation.

In the accompanying drawing, in which our invention is set forth, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sheet, layer or partition which is termed herein a'unit; and Fig,

2 is a vertical section of av crate showing a number units assembled therein with the eggs duly packed or inclosed.

To understand the formationof the unit, it may be assumed to be shaped from a fiat sheet of material, although this is not essentially the manner of producing it, and in which are formed depressions or cavities driven downward from one face of the sheet and projections or protuberances driven upward from the same face of the sheet, the walls of the protuberances bein extensions of the Walls of the cavlties, thus making the latter twice the depth which would be afforded if the sheet had cavities alone and no protuberances on one side;

In the drawing, the cavities in the face of the sheet are indicated by 3 and the protuberances by4, the unit itself being indicated by 2, and the crate, in which numbers of them are to be assembled, by 1. Ob- .viously, when a sheet has been pressed into this formon 0ne.of its faces, the opposite face is simultaneously pressed into the same general form, the only difference being that what appears as a cavity on one-face of the sheet, becomes a protuberance on'the other side. These units may be pressed, stamped or formed of paper pulp, pressed board, or other similar material, by means of suitable dies, forms or molds. The protuberances upward and cavities are arranged in rows in which they alternate with each other, the protuberances of one row being opposite or adjacent to the cavities of the next row, thus giving to each side of the unit a checkerboard arrangement. The' specific shape of the protuberances, which obviously is the same as that of the cavities, except that they are reversed, is not an essential feature of the invention, but it is preferred to make each protuberance frusto-pyramidal in shape, because a cavity of this shape will closely fit the taper at the end of-an egg, and

furthermore, the protuberances of one unit will then telescope into the cavitiw' of another unit, so that a comparatively large number of the units can be packed together ward separated andinserted in the crates in a different way. When this peculiar 'shape is given to the protuberances and .in close relation for shipment, to be aftertriangular facets extend, two of them downward to the bottom of the cavities, and

I the other two upwardto the top of the protuberances. These intermediate facets will be of different shapes depending upon the shapes of the protuberances and cavities as a whole, but will besubstantially as shown when any quadrilateral shape of protuberance and cavity is used. Around the edge of'each-unit, a narrow border 7 may be left, which may be reinforced slightly, if desired, and which is given the shape of the cross section of the unit along its border lines. This border acts as a spacer to hold the eggs or other articles away from the sides of the crate, thus insuring greater safety in handling. These units are to be assembled in a crate in the manner indicated in Fig. QQ-t-l'lfit is to say, so that the horizontal surfaces of the protuberances of one unit will rest against those of the protuberances of the next unit above; this will bring the cavities of the adjacent units opposite each other, and thus form a complete, closed in cell or pocket 8 for the egg or other article. 0wing to the frusto pyramidal shape used, it will be seen that the end portion of each complete cell is contracted to closely hug the egg, while the middle zone of the cell is wider to accommodate the wider portion of the egg. It will also be seen that since the eggs occupy a staggered relation with respect'to one another, there will be very little vacant space between the eggs in a packed crate.

A crate is packed by first putting in one of the units, then inserting the eggs in the cavities presented on the upper side thereof; a second unit is then placed on the top of the first one in the manner above described, and eggs theninserted in the cavities thereof. Another unit is" then put in place and the operation repeated until the crate is filled.

When thus completed, it will be seen that spaces 9, four around each egg, are left, through which air may circulate, and thus keep the eggs or articles well ventilated. These spaces are bounded by the facets 5 and 6.

The cavities and protuberances might be dome-shaped so as to more accurately fit the and still secure the main advantageous principles of the present invention. But, this dome construction would forfeit a great advantage of the polygonal shape. shown, and which has already been referred to, namely, that this construction makes the walls of the protuberances virtually form extensions of the walls of the cavities, so thatwhen the units are assembled in their operative or packing relation, each egg is entirely and fully inclosed in a separate little cell or complete housing, instead of hav-. ring merely its ends engaged and supported,

as would be the case with dome-shaped protuberances and cavities. Moreover, the polygonal shape gives a greater flexibility in the walls or surfaces.

What we claim is:

1. A unit or partition for a packing crate comprising an integral embossed sheet having frusto-pyramidal depressions formed therein, the material displaced to form said depressions providing corresponding protuberances upon the opposite sides ofsaid sheet, said protuberances having fiat tops for engagement with corresponding protuberances upon an adjacent sheet, and having polygonal side walls angularly disposed with respect tolines perpendicular to the principal plane of said sheet, and angularly disposed with respect to each other, forming normally nonscrushable pockets.

. 2. A unitor partition for a packing crate comprising an embossed sheethaving frusto-pyramidal depressions formed therein, the material displaced to form said depressions providing protuberances upon/the op posite sides of said sheet, and having polygonal side walls angularly disposed with respect to lines perpendicular to the principal plane of said sheet and angularly 'disposed with respect to each other, forming normally non-crushable pockets.

In witness whereof we subscrlbe our signatures 1n the presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERIC SGHAEFER. JAMES ALVIN LYNCH.

Witnesses as to the signature of Frederic Schaefer:

WMLD. CooKn, LoUIs WALTERS. I Wit'nesses as to the signature of James Alvin Lynch:

CLINTON WILLIAM BAcW LL, JAMES CouzENs. 

